Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the price for your music notation software?
2. How do I enter a two-voice texture?
3. How long does the license for using the software last?
4. What limitations does the unregistered version have?
5. Is it possible to change the graphical size of the notes? They are rather small on the printouts.
6. Is it possible to playback just one of the lines, and not the entire composition?
7. Is it possible to use different keys for different measures, i.e. to place one key at the clef and then use a different key in other measures on the staff?
8. According to the musical notation rules, when a note changes its tone by a semitone, the accidental (flat, sharp or natural) should be placed by the note, and the clef should be placed at the next measure.
9. How do I place several compositions on a single page?
10. While I am entering a score, is it possible to automatically print the composition by the individual parts?
11. I couldn’t figure out the technique of joining eighths and sixteenths. For instance, in one measure I need to join six eighths by three, and in another measure – by two. How do I do that?
12. Is it possible to print pages with a blank staff in the MagicScore programs? If not, would it be possible to make provision for this capability in the upcoming versions of the software? It is necessary sometimes to sketch the outlines of something, and then work it up in the program; considering this a couple of pages with a blank staff would be very handy…
13. Should the old version of the program be removed before installing a newer version or – can the newer version be installed over the old one?
14. Could you please make provision for the program’s automatic update via the Internet?
15. Is it possible to add chords using the virtual piano?
16. How do I change the duration of the entered note when I enter it using the virtual piano? |
If you haven’t found the answer to your question, please contact our support team
Question:
1.What is the price for your music notation software? |
| Answer: Now we have 6 products MagicScore Maestro, MagicScore onLine, MagicScore onLinePlayer, MagicScore Classic, MagicScore School, MagicScore Player. MagicScore Player is free. All the others products have the price, which can be found on product’s page or via e-mailsales@musicaleditor.com. |
Question:
2. How do I enter a two-voice texture? |
Answer:
The best way to enter a two-voice texture is to first split the row into sub-rows (in the row’s Properties; see the TchaykovskyVals.sfd for an example.) Otherwise, notes of the same duration will be recorded as a chord (and thus will be placed all together on the page.) The cursor on the rows is controlled as usual. At the same time, when the cursor is set in the upper row, it is displayed a little higher than the staves; when the cursor is set in the lower row, it is displayed a little lower than the staves. You can move through the sub-rows using the Up and the Down arrow keys on the keyboard. |
Question:
3. How long does the license for using the software last? |
Answer:
The license is not limited in time. Free minor updates and bug fixes |
Question:
4. What limitations does the unregistered version have? |
Answer:
You can compare the demos of these versions. The readme.enu file describes the difference. |
Question:
5. Is it possible to change the graphical size of the notes? They are rather small on the printouts. |
Answer:
From the program’s main menu select “Composition” | “Properties”. Then on the “General” tab of the dialog that appears set the “Zoom” option from 80% to 160% of the regular image size. |
Question:
6. Is it possible to playback just one of the lines, and not the entire composition? |
Answer:
Yes, you should mute the rest of the lines (in the instruments and the rows list.) |
Question:
7. Is it possible to use different keys for different parts of the score, i.e. to place one key at the clef and then use a different key in some measures on the staff? |
Answer:
Yes, it is possible to place key signatures at any place of the staff. |
Question:
8. According to the musical notation rules, when a note changes its tone by a semitone, the accidental (flat, sharp or natural) should be placed beside the note, and the clef should be placed at the next measure. |
Answer:
The software does not limit you in the entry of semitones, so you can place accidentals anywhere you wish. Keep in mind though that during playback the accidentals are effective only for the measure that they are set in. |
Question:
9. How do I place several compositions on a single page? |
Answer:
There are two ways to do that: -Set up multiple rows on one staff, and then group them using the brace. You can set the distance between the rows as you wish. – Enter the compositions in series, using the measure breaks (the indent at the measure) and the space between the rows. The only limitation is that the compositions must have the same number of rows. The titles of the compositions, the names of the authors, and the instruments can be added to any place on the page. In the example files you may see some of these features in action. (See the OldFrenchSong.sfd and the Sonate.sfd example files.) |
Question:
10. While I am entering a score, is it possible to automatically print the composition by the individual parts? |
Answer:
At this moment, that is not possible, although in the future we plan to add this capability. Please keep in mind though that sometimes the appearance of the score (the images, the lines, etc.) may not match the required appearance of the parts. |
Question:
11. I couldn’t figure out the technique of joining the eighths and the sixteenths. For instance, in one measure I need to join six eighths by three, and in another measure – by two. How do I do that? |
Answer:
Usually the style of the beams is the same for the entire composition. Therefore, in the “Properties” you set it up once for all the measures. However, if you have some non-Classic styles, the best thing to do would be to select the beams “for the entire measure” and then manually break beams where it is necessary. (For that, you may highlight any number of notes, which should not be joined to other notes with a beam, and then perform the break using the “Modify” tab.) |
Question:
12. Is it possible to print pages with a blank staff in the MagicScore programs? If not, would it be possible to make provision for this capability in the upcoming versions of the software? It is necessary sometimes to sketch the outlines of something, and then work it up in the program, so a couple of pages with a blank staff would be very handy… |
Answer:
There is an option to print a blank staff in the “Composition” -> “Properties” -> “Page setup” -> “Print blank lines at the end of composition” menu. You can add blank pages by selecting “Add pages” from the “Composition” menu. Although the blank pages will disappear once you start entering the score data, you can have them printed beforehand. |
Question:
13. Should the old version of the program be removed before installing a newer version or – can the newer version be installed over the old one? |
Answer:
You can install the new version over the old one. The program’s main settings will be preserved. |
Question:
14. Could you please make provision for the program’s automatic update via the Internet? |
Answer:
We are planning to include this option soon. |
Question:
15. Is it possible to add chords using the virtual piano? |
Answer:
Yes, it is possible. Please keep in mind that the staff’s cursor automatically jumps to the position following the entered note, and you should manually return the cursor back using the keyboard. |
Question:
16. How do I change the duration of the entered note when I enter it using the virtual piano? |
Answer:
The program tracks the mouse pointer over the virtual piano. The duration of the note changes following the mouse pointer’s height over the note. You can watch the note’s duration by the mouse pointer’s location or – by the duration scale on the right side of the window. |
